I have considered yr. commune, which you have this morng.
made to me by command of his R.H. the P[rince]
R[egent] of yr. gracious offer of a seat either now or at some
future time at the present board of Treasury. For his R.H. recollection of me
upon this occasion, for the flattering expressions he has been pleased to use,
as well as for his condescending kindness which I have experienced during the
whole course of my life, I entreat that you will humbly lay at his R.H. feet my
most grateful & dutiful acknowledgments. H.R.H. will not I trust think that
I intrude if I request you further respectfully to assure his R.H. of my
sincere attachment to his Person, of my anxiety for the success of his
Government & of my zeal in support of that Govemt. whensoever such support
shall be in my opinion consistent with my duty to my Country. It would be in
the highest degree indiscreet & presumptuous in me to obtrude upon his R.H.
anything so insignificant as my opinion upon public affairs—it will be
sufficient to observe that upon all the great questions of foreign &
domestic policy except upon the question of the War in Spain & Portugal my
opinion has either been expressed or manifested

AND ITS REWARD

107

directly
in Oppn. to the system upon which his R.H. present Minirs. have conducted,
& still profess to conduct the affairs of the country. In respectfully,
under such circumstances, declining the offer made to me I throw myself with
confidence upon H.R.H. own proper & generous feelings for my justification
& I hope I am not too bold if I venture further to request you to add that
from my knowledge of these feelings I anticipate an agreement with me in the
conclusion that were I with such opinions to accede to any proposition of this
nature I should by acting agst. my conscience render myself unworthy of serving
H.R.H. & by degrading my character deprive myself for ever of the power of
rendering to my country any efficient service. It only remains for me to
request you to assure H.R.H. that his injunctions of secrecy shall be
punctually obeyed.”